


A Nearly Peaceful Place

by QueenOfGlacia



Series: Burn For You [4]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Aftercare, Fluff, M/M, Massage, Mentions of Sex, Morning After, Morning Cuddles, Morning Kisses, Spoilers for episode 13
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 06:03:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14349450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfGlacia/pseuds/QueenOfGlacia
Summary: Caleb's back hurts after their previous nightMolly helps---Direct sequel to (Leave Them) Underground





	A Nearly Peaceful Place

**Author's Note:**

> I needed something short and sweet for them after that they've been through and will be going through - Molly especially in episode 14.

Caleb wakes early the following morning, his back hurting like hell from the night’s activities. He had asked for it, and he doesn’t regret it, but doing it in a bed instead wouldn't have left him in pain, at least not like this.   
Molly, of course, notices straight away, even though Caleb holds back the groan threatening to spill out past his lips.   
  
They’ve spent the night entangled; Molly on his back and Caleb’s been using his chest as a pillow, so that probably hadn’t made it any easier for his back.   
  
But it’s nice, waking up like this. To a warm body, hands holding him close. To Molly’s featherlight kisses, his fingers detangling Caleb’s hair.    
_ No wonder cats purr _ , Caleb thinks, as he breathes in the scent of Molly, listens to his steady heartbeat, watching his chest rise and fall in time with his own.    
  
Caleb would very much like to stay like this, but his back is making it uncomfortable.   
  
“You alright darling?” Molly asks, and Caleb both hears and feels the words.    
“Yes.”   
“Caleb.” There’s something in Molly’s voice that Caleb can’t put his finger on.    
“Not… not really,” Caleb admits, never one to burden others with his problems.    
“Wanna tell me what’s wrong?” The words reveal nothing, but Caleb notices that Molly’s heart rate speeds up a bit.    
“Just my back, ‘s all.”    
  
There, now he’s said it.    
  
“You’re sure that’s all? There aren’t any other reasons?”   
“Are you asking me if I regret it?”    
  
There’s a pause as Molly’s heart beats painfully loud and fast beneath his ear.   
  
“Molly… I have never regretted anything when it comes to you.”   
  
Throughout their conversation, Molly’s hand continues stroking his hair, untangling another knot, as the other moves to stroke his cheek, thumb so close to his mouth that he can’t help but turn his head slightly to plant a kiss on it.    
Then, in a moment of daring, Caleb licks it before drawing it into his mouth.    
  
A shiver runs through the body beneath his as Molly groans.    
  
“Caleb…”   
“Hmmmm?” he hums around the digit.   
“Don’t start anythin’ you won’t be able to finish,” Molly warns, voice strained.   
  
Had they been in bed, Caleb would have taken this further, but as it stands, he’s not particularly ready for another backbreaking turn; no matter how tempting the prospect sounds, even though he knows how tempted Molly already is - he can see it clearly, it would just make him hurt even more.    
  
Healing potions are too expensive to be used for matters like this.   
  
So he covers Molly’s hand with his as he parts his lips to move the thumb out. He then squeezes the hand before moving his own to stroke Molly’s chest.   
There’s nothing suggestive about it, it’s more to comfort the both of them, to savour the moment they have alone.    
  
There’s no light filtering in to them, but he knows dawn isn’t far off, knows that in not too long the others too will rise from their beds and then either come down to them or they’ll meet up to have breakfast and find out what to do next.   
  
Caleb traces the numerous scars as he feels himself becoming drowsy again, but the pain in his back flares up again when he moves to get more comfortable and this time he can’t stop himself from making a sound.   
  
“ _ Scheisse _ ,” he growls through gritted teeth, attempting to will the pain away.   
  
Molly stills, then sits up, careful not to jostle Caleb too much as he looks around for something. Caleb doesn’t know what, so he can’t help him, but apparently Molly manages to find it rather quick.   
  
“Let me help darling,” Molly says as he gets out of his own bedroll and helps Caleb lie on his stomach.   
  
Before Caleb has the time to wonder just what Molly’s got planned, the tiefling straddles his thighs. They’re both still naked from the sex a few hours ago, but there’s nothing sexual about this, not really. Neither is really awake, and right now Caleb’s back hurts more than before.   
  
“We need to stock up on oil,” Molly comments offhandedly, as though they were talking of health potions, not something used to make fucking easier.    
  
The stopper comes out with a pop, and because having Molly straddling him is already associated with sex, then the weight and warmth of him combined with the oil dripping down onto his back makes it even more difficult to focus his breathing and to calm his already racing thoughts.   
  
“Relax, Caleb,” Molly says as he begins to move his hand over Caleb’s back, spreading the oil as he does. “Remember, don’t start it if you can’t finish it.”   
  
Caleb does as Molly says, takes a deep breath and feels himself relax as the air leaves him.   
  
“Now there’s a good boy,” Molly comments, just as he digs his thumbs into a painful knot of muscles. When Caleb groans in response it’s due to both the words and the pain, and Molly chuckles above him, knowing exactly what he has just said and done.    
  
“Maybe you should take your own advice,” Caleb mutters, voice muted from the fabric of  Molly’s bedroll. “You know what you saying that does to me.”   
  
They fall silent then, for a moment the only sounds coming from Molly’s hands sliding across oil slick skin, and the occasional grunt and moan from Caleb as Molly untangles more knots, only this time in his back, not hair.   
  
It’s soothing, relaxing and yet arousing all at once.   
  
But not the fast, burning arousal from their past two times together; this is more languid, more intimate and even - if he is being honest with himself - domestic.   
It comes from the comfort and trust of the person he is with. Knowing that Molly respects him, takes care of him.   
  
Caleb feels the evidence of Molly’s own arousal, the heat of it.    
  
They both know they can take this further, if they want to, but also that not acting on it won’t torment them. It’s more of a stirring interest than anything else, really.    
And so Molly works on his back as Caleb once again feels himself drift off to sleep, so at ease under his ministrations.    
  
“Caleeeeb. Don’t fall asleep on me now. We need to get dressed.” The words are punctuated by by kisses down his spine, one on each knob, too visible on his thin frame, and Caleb is painfully aware of the fact.    
  
But Molly never comments, never pushes. He never tells Caleb to eat all his food, not when he sees so clearly that Caleb struggles eating it. Caleb has good days and bad days, knows he needs food, has gone for periods of time in his life with very little - if anything at all - to eat, but his mind takes over and refuses to leave him in peace.   
  
Molly takes care of him.    
  
Takes the food Caleb can’t finish, and never makes a big deal out of it. Hands Caleb more on the days he manages to clear his plate. Gives him extra berries when they’re on the road and pretends he doesn’t.    
  
After sex, Molly looks after him.    
  
Cleans them both up, asks Caleb with his eyes, without words if he regrets it. Caleb speaks the truth when he says he never does.    
Molly kisses him, holds him close so that Caleb feels safe, secure, and on both nights he is been freed of his nightmares.   
  
  
He thinks of the dream, in which he saw himself in multitudes, and it made him think of Pumat Sol. Except there were more of him and they’re all slightly different, all walking in different directions.    
He held the dodecahedron in his hands the whole time and looking at it had comforted him, even as he had started to panic as the Other Calebs had pulled him in different directions.   
  
The dream had been short, at least what he remembers from it, but he had not been scared.    
  
Molly has that effect on him. Molly makes him feel safe and protected and cared for, in ways different and similar to Nott.    
Caleb is sure that if he had held Molly’s hands in his instead of the dodecahedron in the dream, with his grounding presence and the calming contact, the outcome would have been the same.    
  
Caleb thinks it should be impossible to find someone to care for in such a way after such short amount of time, but then again, not many people travel the way they do; not many people willingly goes after gnolls, after giant spiders in the sewers and make it out alive.    
  
Maybe that is why they work so well together, why they fit so well together, the pair of them.   
  
Molly’s hands are still on his back, though they no longer move. They offer a grounding presence that lets Caleb know Molly is there if he has the need to talk.   
And he does, he does wish to tell Molly of his dream, to share in the wonderful and awesome experience, but Caleb is a man who struggles to put his thoughts into words and despite knowing a lot of words, he doesn’t know how to string them together so they make sense.    
  
And he needs to think upon it first. Needs to contemplate what it means, what his proximity to and examination of the dodecahedron meant for it and the implications of it.   
  
It scares and thrills him at once, his need to  _ learn _ fighting against his survival instincts.    
  
“Thank you,” he says, and finds his voice clouded with emotions he can’t quite put into words. “But as much as I enjoyed this, next time we’ll do it in a bed.”   
“You’re saying it’ll be a next time?” Molly’s mouth appears next to his ear,  his voice low and filthy.    
  
Caleb turns around, and it’s awkward because Molly is still straddling him, but eventually Caleb is once again on his back.   
  
“Of course, Mollymauk Tealeaf. Of course.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on twitter as MidnightMinx90, and on tumblr as GrayGlacianQueen and QueenofGlaciaWrites
> 
> I also have a ko-fi in case anyone can and would like to support me; the funds will go towards my two last cosplays for a while: Ryder from Mass Effect Andromeda and Caleb Widogast. You can find me there as QueenofGlacia


End file.
